Spring Training Sites Near Tampa?

[Derwood]

I'll be in Tampa, FL from March 1-4, and was curious if there were any spring training sites within reasonable driving distance. i've never been to a spring training game, and don't even really care who the teams are (considering the Cubs are 3 time zones away). advice?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The Phillies are in Clearwater, the Devil Rays in St. Petersburg, and the Yankees right there in Tampa. I think the Blue Jays are in Dunedin.

 

The Tigers are in Lakeland which also isn't too far away.

 

A little further, the Indians are in Winter Haven and the Pirates in Bradenton and Reds in Sarasota.

[abuck1220]

from what i understand, the yankees camp is madness, so you might want to consider one of the others.

[BigbadB]

My grandmother's back yard butted up against the Phillies practice facility in Clearwater. I lived there for a couple years back in 1983-84. That was pretty cool watching all the guys out there practicing.

 

Dunedin butts up to Clearwater, but I thought that was one of their minor league teams locations. Is that where they play their spring training games too? The causeways from Clearwater to Tampa and St. Petersburg to Tampa are pretty impressive drives.

[Bruno7481]

Tampa is an excellent place to go for ST. Like others have said, the Jays, Phillies, Yankees, and Tampa Bay are all within 15-25 minutes of one another.

 

Used to go every year with my grandfather who covered Spring training. Would go down during spring break, and sometimes a week beforehand. Some of the best memories of my life.

 

Then I got to high school and couldn't leave during spring break because of baseball...oh well.

[Derwood]

sweet, now just need to convince the wifey to go

[CheeseHead Cubs Fan]

sweet, now just need to convince the wifey to go

 

Yank's tix are not that bad to get. Get to the park a few hours early and they release extra tix. In the 6 years I have gone, I have never had a problem.

 

Phill's stadium is awesome! You will enjoy that park very much!

 

Enjoy man... I'll be down there soon!

[apete6]

Everyone pretty much hit it. I work in Tampa a lot. I'm going down March 20-22 and going to the Yanks game on the 20th. If anyone is down there that week, let me know. We can go to a game and then go out afterwards. Channelside is kinda cool if you are into the suburban mall feel (although it has an awesome view of the water) or Ybor City (homeless man's Bourbon Street) where I'm staying. Tampa rules...except the urban sprawl that's going on.

[WrigleyField 22]

I'm gonna be in the Tampa and Bradenton areas March 10-17. I actually saw the last White Sox game in St. Petersburg many years ago, before the went to Arizona.

 

Maybe I can drag my family out to a game.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I'll be in Tampa, FL from March 1-4, and was curious if there were any spring training sites within reasonable driving distance. i've never been to a spring training game, and don't even really care who the teams are (considering the Cubs are 3 time zones away). advice?

 

Actually, in the winter they're only two time zones away (stupid Arizona :roll:).

[CubColtPacer]

I'll be in Tampa, FL from March 1-4, and was curious if there were any spring training sites within reasonable driving distance. i've never been to a spring training game, and don't even really care who the teams are (considering the Cubs are 3 time zones away). advice?

 

Actually, in the winter they're only two time zones away (stupid Arizona :roll:).

 

I am glad that Indiana finally changed their policy on that last year-for those who have never lived in a state that didn't change times, there are certain pitfalls you don't realize. If you have a schedule where you watch shows on cable at a certain time (say before or after work)-the rest of the country changes time, and suddenly your show on cable changes time with it, possibly putting it outside your schedule (thankfully, they put the local shows on tape delay the half of the year the state was on Central Time so that at least local shows could be shown at the same time regardless). There were also numerous other headaches that you wouldn't think of for both businesses and individuals alike. I'm so glad it's changed now.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I went to the Braves park (Disney's Wide World of Sports) in Orlando for the WBC last year. Amazing facility.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I went to the Braves park (Disney's Wide World of Sports) in Orlando for the WBC last year. Amazing facility.

 

No joke. Disney doesn't go half way with any of that stuff in Orlando.

[UMFan83]

I went to the Phillies park in Clearwater last year and had a lot of fun. Cheap tickets, good seats, etc. Worth checking out.